Of Gods and Demons
by Dismal-Spectre
Summary: What started as a flight of freedom from the Netherealm becomes complicated as Ashrah learn more of the origin of the Kriss.
1. Chapter 1

**Of Gods and Demons**

It was not the first time nor was the last that she would dream of escape. But that was all it was. For she knew that it was impossible to ever leave the wasteland that confined her, suffocating her with its fires and brimstone.

Netherealm. A place of horrors and nightmares, ruled by the cruel and indifferent Elder god Shinnok. It was not he whom Ashrah feared the most, but his commander, an oni known as the arch sorcerer Quan Chi. There was never a minute where she wasn't thinking of him, tormented by his grasp on her existence. 

And like the suffering noxious fumes of the hellish world, Quan Chi choked her yearning for a life outside of this. Countless times she was tortured for her trying to flee from his control.

Yet everytime her desire for freedom intensified, burning in her mind like a sacred jewel of hope. Freedom, what was it? Where is it? Could it ever exist?

A sharp growl from Diara drew the demoness' attention to the task at hand. Sighing, she stood by her sister's side and looked down into the pit.

The task from Quan Chi was simple. Move in and eliminate the rogue demons and bring in their heads for the count. Ashrah narrowed her yellow slit eyes as she stared at the broken temple below. Somewhere behind all that rubble, the rebels were crouching, hoping to spring at them in ambush.

"The fools have trapped themselves in," Diara bared her teeth in pleasure. "If we're careful we can get them from behind." Fingering the handle of her onyx dangers, she thirst for blood.

Ashrah said nothing, though she was more prudent than her hot tempered sister. If she was in charge of the mission she would have brought more support. Not her proud sister. Diara had a stubborn streak to rely on herself, a trait that made her endearing to their master.

As they scaled their way down into the depression, Ashrah kept her guard up, watching for any signs of movement. Her hand held fast to her Obsidian sword. As they entered the mysterious structure, she remembered the old tales of the place, of the rumors of a shrine that no demon would dare tread its holy ground. Yet it was said that embedded in a black boulder was a weapon of immense power, capable of eradicating the darkness that surrounded it. A weapon of heavenly origin.

Ashrah knew it was nonsense however and forced her attention to their mission.

**To be kontinued...**


	2. Chapter 2

By the Fires of Gehenna, Ashrah swore she would never let the rebels steal the sacred object inside the temple. She growled in anger that her sister Diara had abandoned her to defend herself when the small skirmish broke out. She stood, her eyes glaring about at the hostile environment. No sign of her attackers, no sign of her sister.

She made haste knowing that the rebels had gone on ahead. Somehow Ashrah had the sense that the sword was much more important than Quan Chi's intended mission of searching for rogue demons. Perhaps he would reward her for retrieving the heavenly sword. And as bonus she would punish the bastard who attacked in the first place.

The darkened corridors twisted and turned, with no real sense of direction, winding ever deeper into the bowels of the realm. Still she could not see either her sister nor the specter. But as she approached a wide open chamber, she could hear the sounds of a scuffle inside.

A raging battle had ensued between Diara and the rebel leader, the grotesque demon overlord Heng Su. He swung his mace, catching Diara in mid flight, sending her crashing into a pillar. Her sister did not rise again.

The overlord roared in laughter and turned on Ashrah. So close was he that she could smell his putrid sulfur breathe. "Hey, pretty thing. Give me a kiss." He lunged his weapon at her, but she lept flying over his head and delievering a sharp kick at his neck. He groaned as he fell out cold.

But his weapon flew madly in the air before crashing into the main pillar that stood in the center of the room. There came a loud crack. The floor beneath Ashrah trembled violent as pillar after pillar toppled.

"Diara!!" Ashrah screamed. She rushed towards to aide her sister, but stopped abruptly as the pillar fell with thundering rumble, obstructing her path to her sister. The ceiling buckled, heaving as the weight of it bore down, screening her from Ashrah's sight.

Ashrah was no fool. Without looking back, she ran from the room just as the entire chamber caved in. An earsplitting crash, and she turned to see that the threshold of the entry blocked by debri.

Damn the rebels, and damn her sister. As a demon, Ashrah felt no remorse for the loss of her sibling. It was not her nature to. But she did regret the fate of a fellow clansman, for it meant that she would have to explain to her master the reason for the death of her sister and risk his wrath.

Sighing heavily, she turned to about, looking for a way out when her eyes litted upon a strange symbol on the wall. It was neither written in demonic or orcish tongue. She pressed a hand against it only to draw it back in shock as it stung her flesh.

Ashrah stared as the wound on her hand healed. Only holy objects and symbols burned demon flesh. Curious, she struck the hilt of her Obsidian sword against the wall which surprisingly gave way and crumbled to dust. She stepped through with discretion, not knowing what to expect.

To her disappointment there was nothing in the great chamber except a enormous black marble boulder at the center. Perhaps it was a shrine, but she knew not for certain. Secret cults often had their rites at stone structures.

Yet as she circled it, she found a strange white sword protruding from the rock surface. It hummed with energy, lighting up the room with an unnatural aura. Everything about it seemed to defy the evil around it.

Ashrah stared. Was this the sword of legend that her kind spoke of? But if it was of heavenly origin, how was it that it came here?

Suddenly she turned as she could hear the heavy footfalls echoing down the corridor outside. She cursed realizing that the battle had attracted the attention of the demon rebels, who would at first chance kill her in vengence of their fallen leader.

Bracing herself, she gripped her Obsidian sword tightly to prepare for battle when suddenly she heard a strange female voice that seem to resonate from the heavenly sword itself.

"To vanquish the evil you must wield the light."

Stupidly she found herself responding to it. "But that's not possible, I'm a demon. I could never wield the heavenly blade. It would destroy me."

The sword gleamed. "Do not concerned. For the sword chooses who is worthy of salvation. Destiny has chosen you, Ashrah, but only if you accept it."

To be continued…


End file.
